Hose connection for cars.



PATENTED JUNE 27,1905.

H. A. WISE. HOSE CONNECTION FOR CARS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 21, 1905.

UNITED STATES Patented June 27, 1905 HENRY A. WVISE, OF MAMMOTH, WEST VIRGINIA.

HOSE CONNECTION FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,490, dated June 27, 1905.

Application filed January 21, 1905. Serial No. 242,094:-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. WISE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mammoth, county of Kanawha, and State of West Virginia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hose Connections for Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in automatic hose-couplings for trains, and has for its object to provide a coupling of this description which will automatically couple itself when two cars are brought together, and when the coupling is made valves upon each car will be opened to allow air or steam to pass from one car to the other, and when the cars are separated the valves will be automatically closed to prevent the escape of the air or steam.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view through the ends of two cars, showing my improved coupler in its coupled position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the end of one car, showing my improved coupler in its uncoupled position; Fig. 3, an enlarged section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

A represents the framework of the car, and B is the car-coupling for securing the two cars together.

0 represents the coupling-heads of my improved hose-coupling, these coupling-heads being attached to bars D and these bars being adapted to slide longitudinally through suitable bearings D, depending from the car. The outer end of each draw-head is provided with beveled fingers or lugs E, so that when the two cars are brought together these fingers or lugs will embrace the opposite coupling-head C and bring them in alinement with one another, and the interlocking of these fingers or lugs will also prevent the displace ment of the two coupling-heads relative to one another while the train is in motion and going around curves.

F is a valve-casing secured to the car in alinement with the bar D and located directly in the rear of the same.

G is a valve-stem which is formed cup shape at its inner end, as indicated at H, and through the wall of this cup-shaped portion is formed an opening H. The stem G extends out of the valve-casing through a suitable stufi lng-box toward the end of the car, the outer end of the stem adapted to slide within a longitudinal recess formed in the bar D.

I is a sleeve, also surrounding the stem G, interposed between the inner end of the bar D and the valve-casing; but the inner end of said sleeve does not come in contact with the valve-casing, there being sufficient room left in between for the sliding of the bar D, the outer end of said sleeve I being securely attached to the inner end of the bar D, and the bar D, being squared, is prevented from turning, as also is the sleeve I by being securely attached to the bar.

J is a spring interposed between the valvecasing and the bar D, which tends always to force the bar D outward.

K is a spiral slot formed through the sleeve I, and L is a stud secured to the valve-stem G and projecting through said slot K, so that when the bar D and sleeve I are reciprocated the valve-stem G will be turned by reason of the stud sliding Within the spiral slot.

F is an opening extending from the central bore of the valve-casing, in which the cupshape portion H lies to the exterior of the casing, and this opening F may extend either from the bottom or the sides of the casing, as desired, and the outer end of the opening F is surrounded by a nipple, to which one end of a flexible hose M is permanently attached, the other end of said hose extending upward through the bottom of the coupling-head C and outward through the outer end of the same, where the end of said hose is slightly enlarged, so as to form a cushion.

N represents the train-pipe, which extends 'into the valve-casing with an air or steam tight joint, and the inner end of said pipe is closed and extends into the cup-shape portion H, so that said cup-shape portion H may revolve around the train-pipe in the manner of a valve, the inner end of said train-pipe having an opening N formed therethrough always in register with the opening F of the valve-casing. Thus when the valve-stem Gr is turned so that the opening H formed through the valve portion is brought in register with the openings N and F the air or steam is free to pass through. the flexible connection M; but when the valve-stem is turned so as to bring the opening H out of register with the other two openings, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, communication between the train-pipe and flexible connection is cut off.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the cars are uncoupled, the spring J will force the bar D outward, and this will cause the stud L to come in contact with the rearward end of the slot K, and when in this position, as shown in Fig. 2, the valve will be turned so that communication between the train-pipe and flexible connection M is cut off; but as soon as two cars are brought together and coupled the draw-heads D will be forced inward by the contact with one another, the two outer ends of .the two flexible connections will come in close contactwith one another, and the tension of the springs J will hold them in this contact, so that an airtight or steam-tight joint is made. Of course the outer ends of the flexible connections could be made in any suitable manner, so as to make an automatic joint when brought together. When the bars D and sleeves I are thus pressed inward, the rearward movement of said sleeves having the slots K will cause a partial revolution of the valve-stem on account of the spiral form of the slots K, and then the studs L will lie near the outer end of the slots, and the valve will thus be turned, so that all of the openings N, H, and F are in alinement with one another, and communi cation is established from the train-pipe of one car to the train-pipe of the other car through the flexible connections M; but if the train should break in two, or as soon as the cars are uncoupled, the springs J in forcing the bars D outward will again automatically turn the valve-stems G so as to shut off the air or steam, and it will be observed that there will be no leakage of air or steam, for the outer ends of the flexible connections will remain in contact with one another until the valves are closed. The outer end of the slots K, it will be noticed, are made straight or parallel with the valve-stem, and when the valves are opened and the cars are coupled the studs L will. lie within the straight portions of these slots, so that the cars may approach one another, as they do on downgrade, or draw apart to their greatest extent, as they will do upon an upgrade, without turning the valve-stem.

0 represents valves located in the trainpipe at the rear of the valve-casing, and these valves may be connected with rods so that they may be operated from the side of the car, if desired, so as to permanently cut off the steam or air.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction here shown, as slight modifications could be made without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is- 1. In a hose connection for trains, a longitudinally-reciprocating bar located at each end of each car, a coupling-head formed upon the outer end of each bar, prongs or fingers extending outward from each couplinghead adapted to embrace the opposite couplinghead and hold the two in alinement, a valvecasing located at the rear of each bar and in alinement with the same, the train-pipe entering the rear of the valve-casing, a port leading from the valve-casing, a flexible connection leading from said port through the coupling-head and projecting from the forward end thereof, the outer end of each flexible connection being thickened so as to form a cushion to make an air-tight joint with the opposite flexible connection, a spring tending to force the bars outward, a valve'interposed between the train-pipe and the part of the casing adapted to open or close the communication between the train-pipe and flexible connection when the valve is revolved, a valvestem leading from the valve, a sleeve carried by the bar through which the valve-stem extends, a spiral groove formed through the sleeve, a stud secured to the valve-stem and projecting through the spiral groove whereby the valve-stem is revolved as the bar is reciprocated, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a hose connection for cars, a longitudinally-reciprocating bar located at each end of each car, acoupling-head formed upon the outer end of each bar, prongs or fingers beveled upon their inner sides projecting from the coupling-heads and adapted to embrace the opposite coupling-heads and hold them in alinement, a flexible connection, one end of which extends upward through the couplinghead and projects from the forward sides thereof, the outer end of said flexible connection being so formed as to make an air-tight joint when the two ends of the flexible connections are brought together, a spring tending to force the bars outward and hold the ends of the flexible connections in contact with one another, a valve-casing secured permanently to the car at the rear of the bar and in alinement with the same, a train-pipe entering the rear'of the valve-casing, the inner end of the train-pipe being closed, a port formed through the valve-casing, the trainpipe being provided with an opening formed through its side always in alinement with said port, the other end of the flexible connection being connected to said port, a cup-shape valve surrounding the inner end of the trainpipe, said cup-shape valve being provided With an opening adapted to be brought in or out of register With the other openings according to which Way the valve is revolved, a

valve-stem extending from the valve-casing, a sleeve permanently attached to the bar through Which the valve-stem extends, said sleeve and bar adapted to reciprocate upon the valvestem, the sleeve provided With a spiral slot formed through the same, a stud secured to the valve-stem and protruding through said scribing Witnesses.

HENRY A. WISE Witnesses:

E. A. DAVIS, C. H. MA'rios'. 

